the goan I network
BICHOLIM
About 40 families had to be evacuated from their homes in Sal-Bicholim late Wednesday night after water level from the Chapora river rose rapidly, causing panic among residents and the village was on high alert.
The Bhumika temple and nearby houses were completely flooded and about 40 families stranded in their homes had to be evacuated by firefighters and rescue teams in boats.
The evacuated people have been shifted to the panchayat hall in Sal.
The rescue operations began at about 10 pm, after water levels rose rapidly when excess water from the Tillari Dam was released into the river. All four gates of the Tillari Dam were reportedly opened by the Maharashtra Tillari Dam Authority, causing panic in the village.
Power supply has been stopped since the last two days and rescue operations were in progress till late Wednesday night.
Speaker Rajesh Patnekar rushed to Sal late night and was personally monitoring the situation. He has requested people to move to safer areas to avoid any danger to their lives.
Bicholim Mamledar Pravinjay Pandit and a disaster management team were busy at work with the assistance of locals to rescue the people stranded in the flooded areas.
Sal Sarpanch Ghanashyam Raut and other locals were also involved in the rescue operations.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant was also closely monitoring the situation in Sal and directed the disaster management team to render all possible assistance to the affected people in Sal.
